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UCLG Peer Learning
4. Surakarta (Solo)
Sustainable and Integrated Cultural Management Surakarta, which is often called Solo, is a city in Central Java with more than 3,650,000 inhabitants. It was the capital city of the Mataram Kingdom from 1745 until the Dutch colonial period. It boasts several elements of tangible and intangible heritage, including royal palaces, shadow puppets (Wayang Wong) and traditional Javan dancing and arts. The cultural heritage of Solo City has been innovatively managed within the renewal project for the Ngarsopuro Corridor. This includes part of the main road that connects the Mangkunegaran Palace to the historic city centre and houses the Ngarsopuro Night Market. The City of Solo aimed to transform this corridor into an urban heritage site. However, one of the obstacles to this was the presence of commercial buildings which dominated the area and reduced the visibility of the heritage buildings; another was the fact that street vendors and illegal parking obstructed pedestrianised streets. Many streets were congested by the stalls of street traders and some electronics stores made the area appear disorganized. With there being several action plans, the renewal project was handled by an integrated management team. The pedestrianised streets were improved, with the installation of benches, flower pots, drains and underground cables. Around 70 street stalls were relocated to the neighbouring Ngarsopuro Market. Heritage buildings were revitalized using funds generated via various cultural events and festivals. Creative events, such as Night Markets, the Solo Batik Fashion Show and Music Festivals were also organised to support this area. The relocation of street vendors was dealt with in a reasonable and polite manner, involving continuous dialogue. In Indonesia, many In Indonesia, many agencies of the local governments continue to mistreat informal street vendors, evicting them through the use of force and violence. In the City of Solo, however, they were engaged and persuaded through a series of discussions and formal negotiations. These resulted in the street vendors moving into a Pujasera: a form of food hall where various street vendors were allowed to sell their food. This strategy was highlighted as having been a key success.